A Sudden Glitch: Switched
by Blue Little Hearts
Summary: After the Vespers dominate the Cahill world, Amy, Dan and former Clue hunters take charge. But a horrible surprise causes a big switch for the Cahills. With all this happening, it's up to Nellie to get things back to normal. Slight Amy/Ian for later chapters.
1. The Vespers

**Salutations to whoever has stumbled upon this story. Well this is more of an attempt story, so it might be good, it might not be good; I'll leave that to you guys to tell me. It's an un-betaed story. Critique is whole-heartedly appreciated. Let's see, what else was I going to say . . . ? Oh, read, review, and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The 39 Clues**

* * *

**A Sudden Glitch: Switched**

~ONE~

_The Vespers_

Nellie Gomez is a person of adventure. She can fly a plane, stunt drive, and speak six different languages. She found all her talents very exciting, but riding a boat into the Bermuda Triangle made her excitement plunge through the roof.

Anybody who didn't know about the Cahills would wonder why it would be so exciting to enter an area of water where people mysteriously disappeared. Nellie on the other hand, has been tied to the Cahills for as long as her family can remember. She knew about the Ekat stronghold in the Bermuda Triangle. She also knew it would be the coolest thing she'll ever see in her entire life.

Being with Amy and Dan throughout the hunt, she's entered two different branch strongholds: the Ekat stronghold in Egypt, and the Tomas stronghold in South Africa. She found the Ekat stronghold very nice and awesome with all its museum-like features and modern inventions, which is why she couldn't wait to enter the Bermuda one.

Nellie looked down into the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. She gripped the railing of the passenger liner they had taken and stood on her tippy-toes to feel the cool breeze. She smiled.

_This is going to be awesome! _She thought.

Fiske must've noticed her excitement, because he walked towards her and stared down into the waters as well. "Enjoying yourself Miss Gomez?" he said. His gray clothing sort of messed up the effect of the sun's "it's-summer-so-wear-bright-colors" greeting.

"I can't help it sir," Nellie said. "It's not everyday you get to visit a top secret lair of masterminds and geniuses. Don't forget the whole 'disappear into thin air' bit. The outside people don't even know the half of it."

Fiske did what was the farthest of a smile he can manage. "And that's the way it should be," he said, and his grim little expression returned. "But don't forget that this trip isn't supposed to be what you call 'fun'. We're here to find out if they've gotten the Ekats as well."

By "they", Nellie knew he meant the Vespers. After Amy and Dan collected all the clues, after they'd left Ireland, they went back to Boston to live a normal life. Fiske told Amy and Dan to be children, have fun, do what other kids do, the hunt was over anyways. He told them not to worry, but Dan and Amy were no fools. They won't just let everything drop and pretend that nothing was going on. They knew that the Vespers were coming. The Madrigals estimated maybe a year or so. Not two months after finally settling into the normal mode.

_The poor kids,_ Nellie thought. After the news was brought to them, Amy, Dan, and Nellie left for Switzerland to train for the fight that's going to happen. Amy also called their clue-hunting relatives to tell them about the training, or as Dan calls them, "hunt buddies". Now that the Vespers have dominated all the Madrigal strongholds, they had to see for other branch strongholds too.

Nellie sighed. "I know it's not a vacation, but don't you think it's easier to just pretend that everything is normal? Everyone's stressed and someone needs to be the bigger person here and lead," Nellie explained. Fiske stared at her, and "smiled" at her again.

"This is precisely why the Madrigals look up to you, Miss Gomez," Fiske said. "You're all about the leadership." He saluted Nellie and walked back inside the ship while the others walked out on deck.

"Yo, that's tight!" exclaimed Jonah Wizard. His father, Broderick Wizard, wheeled him on the deck. He was on a wheelchair, cast on one leg and an arm. It's been two months since Nellie last saw him and he's changed so much. He's never afraid to be himself to the public. Nellie had to admit, she started becoming his fan again after the hunt.

"Are you sure you're going to be safe, Jonah?" Broderick asked. "You shouldn't have come on this voyage." He looked at Jonah, face masked with concern. After all, Broderick was the only one Jonah has. Cora made it clear she'll finally talk to Jonah when pigs fly.

"Hey Reagan, Madison! Look at that island over there!" Hamilton Holt yelled. He was pointing to an island slowly getting more and more visible. Right now, it was only the same size as a ping pong ball. "Bet you I can swim there first!" He put on a cocky grin and brought out his big muscular body, a sure sign of a threat. Nellie rolled her eyes.

"No way! I can do it first!" yelled Reagan.

"No I can!" countered Madison.

"No you can't!"

"Can-not!"

"Can so!"

"Can-not!"

"Can so!"

"Girls!" Eisenhower cut in. "I order you to silence or none of you will get to swim there!"

"Your father's right," said Mary-Todd. "Give your sister's a break Ham." Hamilton grinned at his sisters, who in turn, stuck their tongues out at him.

Nellie looked away and smiled. The Holts can disguise themselves as tough people, but on the inside, Nellie knew they'd gotten soft. That was practically the reason why the Madrigals recruited more than fifty Tomas agents after their trip to Mt. Fuji. And why they have all of them snug in their cabins inside the passenger liner as back-up. They were definitely on the good side.

"F.Y. Information Dolts, you can't swim all the way to the island," Sinead said. Her brothers Ned and Ted accompanied her on both sides. They grinned robotically at the same time. "First of all, you can't survive the current. Second of all, the stronghold has an electric force field around it that can only be shut down by the Ekats. And third, swimming would just be plain stupid when you have a big boat to take you there." Sinead crossed her arms and stared at Hamilton.

Nellie felt sorry for Ned and Ted. Being so young and experiencing blindness and migraines. Nellie thought that's why Sinead can sometimes be mean. She thinks it's unfair for her brothers. It's a good thing we had room for Flamsteed on the boat. At least she's only being mean to Hamilton because she likes him. Otherwise, she's realized her mistakes.

"Sinead, your parents left me in charge of you and your brothers while they are away. Please be respectful to your peers," Alistair said.

Sinead flushed red. Nellie smiled.

Alistair might be a wise Ekat, but not when it comes to the problems of teenagers, maybe even twenty year-olds. He obviously didn't experience help from his parents in his teens, or rather, his uncle Bae, since Gordon died when he was only four. Nellie noticed that Alistair's breathing easier ever since Bae Oh's arrest. He even seemed less depressed.

_Oh Uncle A_, Nellie thought. _If only you could understand Sinead._

Hamilton grinned at Alistair. "That's right Uncle A. Give 'er the ole one, two." He punched the air with his fists, one after the other.

"Everything just has to include physical activities with you, Hamilton," said Natalie. "I can't even imagine all that sweat you produce everyday." Natalie pretended to feel ill and put her hand on her forehead dramatically.

Ian rolled his eyes and stared at Natalie disgustedly.

"Really Natalie, would it hurt you to be more realistic with your acting please?" he said. "We already have to deal with your drama all day."

Natalie gave Ian a death glare.

"Is that so? Well if you want me to spill your little secret . . ."

"Alright, alright, I apologize. Go about your business and I'll leave you alone," Ian said. He looked out into the island, which was larger now, and clenched his fists.

Nellie smiled at the sight of the Kabras arguing.

_Typical Kabra quarrel,_ she thought. Ian and Natalie were the two people Nellie noticed that changed a lot. With Isabel in jail, they made their own decisions, planned their own life, and even made their own money thanks to their parents' multi-million dollar art dealership. They've also become much nicer, and by "nicer", Nellie meant they only insult people from time to time. Nellie even knew that Ian's secret was about liking Amy.

"Hey Ian!" Dan said. "Don't let this little she-devil scare you! We're men, and we have to be strong!" He held up a fist and raised it high.

"Men? I wouldn't consider someone who wears Pokemon underwear a 'man'," Amy pointed out. Everyone on the deck laughed. "You're hardly mature enough to be left alone in a house by yourself."

Natalie smiled at Amy thankfully and turned to Dan. "You should really listen to your sister more Daniel. What she said are words of wisdom." She turned away with a graceful flip of her hair. Nellie heard Jonah say "You just got dissed!"

Dan stuck his tongue out at Amy and Amy smiled back.

_Ah, the dynamic duo, _Nellie thought. She felt like she did back in China. Wanting to assure them nothing's wrong, but also knowing what was at stake.

Nellies thoughts were interrupted by Fiske's voice.

"Mr. Oh, have you contacted ahead?" Fiske asked.

"Yes, but no one has contacted back. I've tried every signal, and still no answer," Alistair replied. Fiske looked at Nellie with a masked face. She inhaled deeply and swallowed hard.

"We'll have to deactivate the force field ourselves." Alistair took out a remote-like object with a big red button in the center.

Fiske stared hard at Alistair. "Let's go for it."

He took out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. "Contact the Tomases and tell them to get ready, over." Fiske waited a couple of seconds until someone answered. "Roger that," the voice crackled back.

"Miss Gomez, please round up all Cahills on board," Fiske said. "It's time."

* * *

"Whoah!" Dan exclaimed. He ran down the ship's ramp and onto the dock. He was staring at the giant, metal building that stood twenty meters away from the huge crowd of Cahills.

Ned and Ted stood at either side of him.

"That, cousin, is the brain of all Ekaterina inspiration," said Ned.

"The Bermuda stronghold of the Ekaterinas," Ted said.

Dan looked around. It was the type of place he'd wish was an arcade. It was _that_ cool. And he wanted to get inside the laboratory so bad.

He looked around for Amy and Nellie. They were over by Uncle Alistair and Fiske. He saw Ian looking over at her.

Dan rolled his eyes.

_Honestly, they make me wanna puke. _

He ran over to the laboratory and yelled over his shoulder.

"Amy, I'm going to check out the lab thingy, I'll be back in a nanosecond!" he said.

Amy's head shot up and she ran after him. "Dan wait! You're not supposed to be leaving our sight!"

But Dan didn't care he ran for the laboratory as fast as he can, and didn't dare look over his shoulder for Amy.

He reached the door to the lab. There was a handle that begged, "Open me! You won't regret it." Dan reached for it, expecting it to be locked. To his surprise, it was open.

He went in quickly and left the door open. He remembered the Ekaterina stronghold in Egypt. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

The lights were closed. He felt around the walls for a light switch. It was metal and hard. He brushed something soft. He took his hand back in shock.

The lights opened. And Dan felt like he did back in the gauntlet when he saw the glowing green vial.

"So we meet again Dan Cahill," the person in front of him purred.

It was Isabel Kabra.

* * *

**Well there it is. Please tell me if I'm doing anything wrong. I'm too shy to ask anyone to be my beta, so . . . Do you guys know any good betas? Feel free to point out any mistakes and thanks for reading!**

**~Blue**


	2. Time Machine? SwitchoMatic?

**Next chapter is up!** **Hope you guys like it! I know it's been a long time, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this story. So Read, review and enjoy!**

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~TWO~

_Time Machine? Switch-o-Matic?_

Dan couldn't believe his eyes.

_How could Isabel be out of jail? _

He blinked a few times to make sure that the evilly-grinning, perfume-scented, and parent-murdering, woman standing in front of him wasn't Isabel. Of course, he failed at that.

Isabel seemed to notice that Dan was trying so hard not to believe it, because her grin got wider.

"Wondering why I'm out of jail?" she asked.

Dan was trying to act strong and brave, but failed at that too.

He heard someone panting behind him, and then the panting stopped short. He heard a few more breaths do the same. Dan turned around to see Amy, the Kabras, Jonah, Alistair, the Holts, Fiske, and Nellie.

Isabel looked up and smiled at them all. Her eyes did this trick that made everyone in range of her sight; made time stop and everyone freeze. Her eyes swallowed everyone whole.

"Mother," Ian said, shocked and angry, "What are you doing here? How did you escape?" He glared at her. Dan saw Natalie shrink beside Ian.

Dan looked at her sympathetically. So did everyone else. No one can ever forget that moment in the gauntlet where Isabel shot Natalie in the foot.

Natalie looked back at Dan. Her eyes went wide and she shrank back even more.

Dan turned around and met Isabel's eyes, which got even closer to him. He backed away and hid behind Amy and Nellie, who went in front of him protectively.

Isabel smiled evilly.

"Oh I was just around the area," she said.

Hamilton barked a laugh.

"What kind of person happens to be around this area?"

Dan looked at Hamilton. He was trying to act tough, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes. Dan looked at the rest of his family. This was probably the longest time that the Holts were quiet. This was probably the only time they were quiet.

Isabel gave Hamilton a death stare.

"Being a smart aleck, huh?" she said. "Well on my list, the punishment for that is burning at the stake, so I suggest you shut your mouth."

Hamilton put his head down.

"Nobody talks to my son that way!" Eisenhower said. His face turned red because of anger. He charged forward.

Isabel's grin resurfaced on her perfect face and she stared calmly at him. She didn't care that she was about to get tackled; she merely raised a hand in front of his face.

Eisenhower stopped short.

"I wouldn't dare," Isabel said. She snapped her fingers together.

Dan waited. So did everyone else.

Sinead chuckled. "Okay, what was that supposed to do? Bring us to our doom?"

Isabel's smile got even wider.

"My, you're quite a bright young child," she said. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out yet Fiske."

Fiske's eyes went wide.

"Everyone close together!" he ordered. "She's a Vesper!"

Isabel laughed evilly. Then all Tomas backup entered the cave. They were poised to shoot at Isabel.

"Think you can stop me with," she looked disgustedly at the Tomas, "those barbaric idiots?" she laughed again. Then there was a rumble.

"D-d-d-id you hear that?" Amy whispered to Dan.

"It's coming from the walls," he whispered back.

_BOOOOOOOM!_

People in dark clothing charged out of the walls. The entire metal interior Dan once touched disappeared.

"Meet the Vespers!" Isabel yelled.

The Tomas charged after the Vespers, but they were all wiped out in thirty seconds. They closed up the cave leaving all the Cahills in shock and fear.

Isabel pressed some buttons and the room started to rise.

"What's going on?" Nellie asked. She was squished between two Vespers. She looked at

"We're going for a little trip down memory lane," Isabel said. "Is everyone familiar with sabotage?" All of the Cahills in the room looked at each other in fear. "Good," Isabel said. "Because that's exactly what I have in store for you today."

The Vespers all took out dart guns.

_Where did that come from?_ Dan thought.

"Dan!" Amy yelled. The Vesper that was holding her shot her and the dart buried itself into her skin. The same thing happened to the rest of Cahills.

Dan was hit with the dart soon enough. His vision went blurry and he felt weakness wash over him.

"Nighty night," Isabel whispered softly.

* * *

Nellie opened her eyes in a daze. She hasn't felt this tired since the grueling training she had to do to defeat the Vespers.

_Vespers _Nellie thought.

She forced her eyes open and scanned her location. Beakers and cylinders. Bunsen Burners and complicated machinery. The Ekaterina Laboratory.

Nellie moved her hands to stand up, but she felt ropes wrapped around her hands and her legs.

"I see you're awake," a familiar voice said.

_Isabel._

Nellie looked up into the cold and grey eyes that Amy and Dan's parents probably once looked into. They were the eyes of a murderer and one heck of a heartless person.

"What do you want?" Nellie said more fearful than brave. Nellie noted Dan, Amy and everyone else tied with ropes beside her in a long line. Except Jonah who was tied firmly into his wheelchair. They were all awake, but they looked like they were struggling to keep their eyes open.

"We were just waiting for you to wake up," Isabel said. "We were just about to perform our very important mission, but we wanted everyone to witness our success. Be thankful."

Isabel walked across the room to a large machine that had buttons, levers, and many wires. Some of the wires were connected to a large gun. There was a larger machine that had a curved metal ring-like thing connected to a computer. It stood next to a large lever a couple of sizes down from the machine.

"Behold," Isabel said and pointed to the large gun, "The Switch-o-Matic. And this," Isabel walked to the large metal ring, "This is a new Vesper improved device called a time machine."

Sinead, Ned, Ted, and Alistair all gasped in surprise.

"You're bluffing," Sinead said. "There's no way that you built a time machine. The Ekats haven't even been able to build one!"

"You're not the only geniuses around!" Isabel boasted. "If the Vespers built a time machine before you Ekats did, then that just proves how much smarter we are."

Isabel walked over to the time machine.

"Activate it," she told one of the Vespers.

One of them walked over to the machine it was attached to and pulled a giant lever. A sudden gust of wind whirled around everyone's heads. Amy had to close her eyes.

"Mum, what's going on?" yelled Ian over the noise of the wind.

"My plan is going into action!" Isabel yelled. "Push them in!"

The Vespers took one Cahill each and led them in front of the time machine. Amy indicated a portal with weird shapes and confusing objects floating around. The Vespers made a line with Jonah first. The Vesper holding him was about to push him in when Fiske kicked the Vesper holding him in the shin.

"Take that!" Fiske yelled. The other Vespers ran over letting go of their Cahill prisoner. The rest was pandemonium.

Natalie took off one of her heels and used it to sword fight with one of the Vespers, the Holts all battled recklessly in professional combat, Dan and Amy used their new self-defense skills against the Vespers, and the Starlings and Alistair helped protect Jonah by throwing beakers and graduated cylinders at the enemy.

Hamilton was thrown into the far wall where the Starlings and Alistair stood guard in front of Jonah. He knocked down the Switch-o-Matic off its stand. The gun fell off and discharged its beams, pointed and aimed directly at Amy.

Ian, who had seen it happen first, dived in to rescue her.

"Amy no!" Ian yelled. Amy turned around in awareness, but Ian was too late. The second he got a hold on Amy's arm, the beam from the Switch-o-Matic hit both her and Ian together. They both hit the ground head first and unconscious.

"Push them into the portal!" Isabel yelled. Two of the Vespers carried them off to the portal and pushed them in.

"Amy!" Dan yelled and raced after his sister. But apparently, the Switch-o-Matic wasn't done shooting its beams, for as Dan went after Amy, he slammed into Natalie just as the beam hit him, affecting them both. They fell to the ground and Isabel ordered for them to be pushed inside the portal as well.

"My, my," Isabel said. "And I thought I had trained my children better than this." Isabel clicked her tongue as Natalie and Dan were pushed inside the portal.

Sinead ran out of things to throw at the enemies, so the Vespers grabbed her and Jonah easily. The beam hit both of them next as Sinead held onto Jonah's shoulder for support. They fell unconscious and were thrown into the portal.

_Time to take action, _Nellie thought as Eisenhower and Broderick were hit with the gun next and thrown into the portal. Mary-Todd was so desperate to save her husband's life that she jumped into the portal after him.

Nellie fought with all the remaining Vespers. She watched from the corner of her eyes Reagan and Ted get hit with the gun, then Madison and Ned. Alistair and Hamilton got lucky and was able to dodge the beam of the Switch-o-Matic, but was still thrown inside the portal, with Ned, Ted, Reagan, and Madison.

_Fiske and I are the only ones left_ Nellie reflected.

Beside her, Fiske was busy taking down the Vespers with her. Isabel took out a gun and shot him. He fell to the ground with a scream of pain.

"Sir!" Nellie yelled out. She abandoned the Vespers and ran to Fiske. He was more important.

"Forget about me. Finish them!" He cried.

Isabel walked over and overshadowed them. She held out the gun in front of Nellie and pulled the trigger. Nellie cried out in pain.

"Handle the rest of it," Isabel ordered, not caring at all that two people were in agonizing pain. She walked out into the elevator. She blew a kiss to Nellie and Fiske before the elevator doors closed.

Two Vespers dragged Nellie and Fiske towards the portal.

_Must get up, _Nellie told herself. _Must fight._

But Nellie was bleeding too much to do anything about the situation.

The Vespers threw them inside the portal. The last thing Nellie saw before she blacked out were the same cold grey eyes of the Vespers, much like Isabel Kabra's.

* * *

**There you go! Expect the next chapter sooner than this one was posted. R&R!**

**~Blue**


	3. So That's What the SwitchoMatic Does

~THREE~

_So that's what The Switch-o-Matic Does_

_Nellie was battling. Battling a group of Vespers who were trying to kill them. No, not kill them, throw them into the portal. _

_Fiske got shot . . ._

_Nellie was dragged . . ._

_Then she was thrown into the weird portal . . ._

_But before she was thrown inside, she saw the eyes of cold grey . . ._

Nellie sat up breathing hard and drenched with sweat. She hugged her knees and took off the blankets over her legs. She looked around and noted that she was in bed. Strange. The dream had seemed so real to her. Everyone getting hit with the Switch-o-Matic, being pushed into the time machine's portal, and Fiske getting shot . . .Nellie had to admit, she had developed a special fondness for Fiske. He was like her second father. It would take courage and strength to watch Fiske get tragically injured.

Nellie realized that she was in her bedroom back in her apartment with the kiddos. She stood up and went to the kitchen to refresh herself.

_I guess meeting up in Switzerland was also a dream, s_he thought. _A very long dream._

"Maybe a drink of water will wake me up," she whispered. She looked at the stove where the time was displayed. It was 6:30 in the morning. Not the usual time Nellie would be up.

Then someone screamed. It was the scream of a guy.

_Dan._

She ran inside his room. It was different. Instead of Dan's ninja posters, there were postersof pink ballerinas with ninja swords. The walls were painted pink with katanas, the bed had pink sheets with ninja blades, and in the closet were boxes and boxes of pink and black glitter.

_What on Earth?_

"Dan?" Nellie called out in panick. The yell came out again. This time Nellie made her way to Amy's room. If this wasn't already hers.

"Natalie what's wrong with you?" The voice yelled.

_Natalie?_

Nellie opened the door and walked in ona much younger Natalie splashing an also much younger Ian with a bucket of water.

Ian looked over at Nellie. "Nellie, she splashed me with a bucket of water again!" He stood up and held Natalie's arms together before she could run away. "Tell her to knock it off!"

"It was a joke you little baby," Natalie screamed back at Ian. They continued to bicker and yell at each other without British accents.

"Hold it!" Ian and Natalie held their position and froze. Nellie put her hand on her hip and pointed a finger at Ian, then Natalie, then Ian again. "What are you two doing here? Where did you guys come from? And why aren't you speaking in British accents?"

Ian and Natalie stopped and looked at each other. "Nellie have you been drinking or something?" Natalie asked. "What kind of question is that?"

"A good one," Nellie said. "But a better one would be, why are _you_ guys here?"

Again, Ian and Natalie looked at each other, this time in confusion. "Nellie, what is wrong with you today?" Natalie asked.

Ian's face dropped into a sad smile. "Did Grace's death get to you?" he asked.

"Grace's death? What are you talking about?" Now Nellie was really confused. "Grace died two years ago, and it's not like you even cared. Well I guess you do, since you're friends of Amy and Dan now."

Ian and Natalie's jaws dropped in unison.

"Nellie, Grace died yesterday!" Ian exclaimed. "We even told you! We were going to her funeral today, remember?"

"And why would we even speak like the Cobras, let alone ever be friends with those filthy Cobras?" Natalie asked. "And since when did you call Daniel 'Dan'?"

Nellie stopped and was confused more than ever. Why are Ian and Natalie in Amy and Dan's apartment? Why were they telling her that Grace died yesterday? And most importantly, why were they calling Amy and Dan the Kabras? Nellie rubbed her head thoughtfully as the questions went through her head.

"Nellie, are you okay?" Ian asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine . . ." Nellie thought about it. Her dream; It could have something to do with this. She strained to remember it.

_Fighting Vespers . . ._

_Isabel's gun . . ._

_Weird portal . . ._

_Something about a switchy thingy and a time machine . . ._

"Switch-o-Matic . . ." Nellie breathed. Isabel said something about that! Could it be that the Switch-o-Matic switches around people's lives? Would that explain why Ian and Natalie called Amy and Dan the Kabras? The thought ran through her head fast.

"Nellie!" Ian yelled out. It took Nellie a while to figure out that her knees gave away. Ian caught her and placed her on the bed.

"Man, you really are out of shape," Natalie said. "You should really stop eating and sleeping around all the time. Instead, you should be training with me to fight ninja ballerinas!"

"Oh, cork it, will you?" Ian said.

"Ian and Amy got switched," Nellie mumbled to herself. "Dan and Natalie got switched."

"It's Nat," Natalie yelled. "You know I hate being called Natalie."

_That's exactly what Dan would say if I ever called him Daniel._

"You know, we should really be getting ready for the . . ." Ian's voice trailed off. "The f-funeral." Nellie realized the hurt in his voice, just like Amy's when Grace died. "Aunt Beatrice will be here any minute."

"I'll come with you," Nellie said. She waited for Ian to get suspicious.

Instead, Ian's face brightened. "You will?" he asked with more hope than suspicion. "I mean, okay, yeah."

"Well, I better go change into my ninja ballerina costume," Natalie said and left the room.

"No, Nat!" Ian yelled. "You do know that this is just her way of avoiding the hurt and sorrow of losing Grace, right?" Ian asked.

"I do," Nellie replied back. That particular side of Dan was something Nellie avoided seeing.

Ian smiled. "Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who understands." He left the room and started yelling about not taking anything seriously.

Nellie sat down on the bed and thought hard. What happens next? All she did was figure out how they all got switched, not put everything back in its place.

She thought about reaching Fiske once they get to the funeral. He _was_ listening in while Grace's video was playing. That was, after all, the plan from the very beginning, before Amy and Dan had to find out about the clues. Nellie had to listen in to see what Amy and Dan decided. Then, she'd lay back, relax, and pretend like she was just doing her afternoon chilling on the couch.

"And if I can't reach Fiske," Nellie said, "I'm on my own."

* * *

"I can't believe we're here again without Grace," Ian said. "I-It f-f-feels so w-wrong," Ian stuttered.

"So weird," Nellie breathed while watching Ian's eyes form tears. She studied the way Ian was dressed. A plain, black funeral suit that, thankfully, didn't look so terrible on him, mostly because of his handsome features. It was so unlike the way he _really _dressed. It needed some twinkle, some sparkle, some . . . fashion.

Nellie never thought she'd ever say that. Especially about a Kabra. It just looked too much like how Amy dressed.

_Amy_

She searched around for any sign of Amy and Dan; the new "Kabras".

"Put me down, Ted!"

Nellie turned around to see Natalie hanging upside-down. Her ankles were held by two skimpy, identical kids wearing purple track suits with matching sweat bands. Ned and Ted. Nellie couldn't believe her eyes. The last time she saw Ned and Ted, they were wearing some geeky sweater vests with dress pants and unfashinable loafers. But seeing them now, she guess that they might have gotten switched with the Holt twins, Reagan and Madison.

"Ian, don't just stand there! Tell them to put me down!" Natalie yelled in frustration.

"P-p-put," Ian stuttered. He gulped a giant gulped and froze like a statue. Nellie slapped her hand to her forehead.

_I Guess I'm not so used to the shy, stuttering Amy anymore._

"Put him down Ned and Ted!" Nellie yelled. Ned and Ted both put on a look of confusion.

"Who're you?" They both asked in the same mocking tone.

"I am Ian and Natalie's au pair. What's it to you?" She put her hand on her hip and gave Ned and Ted more attitude than intended. It wasn't like they didn't need it, she thought. They needed to snap out of it.

"You brought Nanny McPhee along?" Ned and Ted asked.

"She's an au pair, and I have no clue why she's just standing there with my brother who can't speak, because, if anyone noticed, I am hanging upside-down!" Natalie screamed at the top of her lungs, although, Nellie thanked, it didn't catch the attention of all the Cahills surrounding them.

"Fine," Ned and Ted said. They both let go of Natalie's legs and she dropped to the ground with a thud. She stood up and brushed herself off, while Ian rushed to her side.

"Are you okay, Nat?"

"Fine, thank you very much," Natalie answered back. "It's a good thing I wore tights and a skirt. If you had forced me into wearing a dress . . ." Natalie didn't continue and just shivered.

Nellie looked over Ian and Natalie's shoulders in search for Amy and Dan. Instead, she saw the rest of the Holt family approach. Well, Mary-Todd, Hamilton (the only two people who really are part of the Holt family) , and Broderick Wizard, who, Nellie guessed, was the new Eisenhower Holt.

"Take one last look at this mansion you twerps," Hamilton said. "Now that the old witch is dead, no one else is going to act like superman to you two when someone thinks you're being annoying." Obviously Hamilton was still Hamilton. When he was still on the bad side.

Natalie stuck out her tongue. "Grace wasn't a witch! And we're going to inherit this place!"

"Think again," someone said from behind Natalie. She turned around to face Sinead Starling looking hip in her grey sweatpants, black tank top, gold chains, her auburn hair hanging loose from her head to her shoulders, and a pair of shades on her eyes. "You little nobodies ain't gettin' nothin' from that old bat." Nellie's jaw dropped as Eisenhower trailed up behind Sinead typing on a BlackBerry that should've been Broderick's, but he was too busy doing trying to take Ned and Ted off of his back.

"Well, it's not like you need anything from Grace," Hamilton said to Sinead. "You're _supposedly _an international hip-hop superstar." Hamilton put as much sarcasm into supposedly as much as he could.

"Well, if it isn't boob, boober, and the boobest of them all," Jonah said appearing behind Natalie, Hamilton, and Sinead. Nellie didn't want her jaw to drop again, but she had no choice but to do so, for Jonah was wearing what Ned and Ted would ususally wear: a geeky sweater vest, dress pants, and loafers. Behind him, Reagan and Madison walked wearing two identical black dresses.

"Oh, and who's supposed to be the boobest Jonah?" Natalie asked irritated.

"That depends. Prbably you," Jonah said. Reagan and Madison laughed and snorted away at his insult.

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Really now? I'm not as stupid as you think. I have a photgraphic memory." Nellie smiled at Natalie's bragging, the exact way Dan would. And Nellie also knew that the Starlings have always been jealous of Dan's photgraphic memory, a secret Nellie overheard and decided not to say anything.

The Starlings, Jonah, and Sinead left rolling their eyes.

"Nat cut it out!" Ian whispered in her ear. He was looking back at Jonah, then Hamilton, then Sinead, and back again. He looked extremely frightened and jumpy. Probably because of all the people around him, but Nellie decided to ask anyways.

"Dude, why are you so scared?"

"Cobras," Ian finally said.

Nellie looked in the direction Ian was looking and her jaw almost fell off of her face from shock. Strutting in such a desirable and maginificent posture were Amy and Dan. It was the weirdest thing Nellie had ever seen. Amy was strutting in stilletto heels and a black designer dress, while Dan walked as if to say "I'm better than all of you" in a black funeral suit. Nellie only realized her jaw was still dropped open in shock until Amy pushed it back up to her face.

"I know that we're that fantastic, but please, salivate on the ground later." Amy walked past Nellie with Dan right beside her. She couldn't help but think that British accents sound so much better on Amy.

"Hello Ian," Amy greeted in a sweet, deadly tone. She smiled at him like she really cared. Nellie was actually hopeful for one minute.

Ian looked nervous, and sweat trickled down his face. His breath went scratchy, and he whispered a barely audible hi.

"Natalie," Dan said. He looked at what Natalie was wearing and put on a face of disgust.

"You know Daniel, you always want to make me want to rip your face out of your big head," Natalie said back. Dan just smiled back.

"Amy?" Nellie couldn't resist. "Dan? Is that really you?" Nellie held out her arms for a hug, but Dan backed away.

"Um," Dan said and smiled. "Mum sent you didn't she? She never does let me know who she sends. Amy needs help holding her purse. So if you don't mind . . ."

"It's me," Nellie said. "Nellie. Your au pair! Don't you remember?"

"Nellie, you're our au pair!" Natalie said.

"Daniel, we're leaving," Amy said. They hurried away from Nellie, who was about ready to cry.

_I've been with them for what? Two years, and they don't even remember me? _She knew it wasn't even really their fault, but she still felt like someone pushed her off of a cliff. She felt like pushing Isabel off of a cliff.

"Nellie, the service is about to start," Ian said concerned. "We better takeour seats."

"Yeah, we should," Natalie said. "It's good to sit down when you've just encountered deadly beauty."

Nellie smiled at Natalie's humor and Ian's sympathy, and missed the old Amy and Dan even more. "Yeah," Nellie said. "Let's go." She walked in between Natalie and Ian to the funeral grounds. One little thought entered her mind.

_I have to find Fiske. Fast._

* * *

**Well, what did you think? I loved writing this chapter. Please don't be afraid to say what you think about it. In other words, read and review!**

**~Blue**


	4. One Plus Four Plus One

**Chapter four is up! Hope you like it! I tried to make it more interesting, but I'm not sure it was exciting or interesting enough. Whatever. On with the story!**

* * *

~FOUR~

_One Plus Four Plus One_

Nellie itched to find Fiske already, but the funeral service was taking too long. It wasn't that she didn't have the respect for Grace; She just hated all of the fake crying and false sympathy. Especially Amy and 'Daniel'. They were both crying like a mob of angry people carrying torches burnt all the Prada and Armani stores in the world. They bawled like they even cared the least bit about Grace.

_Well, of course they do, but . . . _Nellie tried not to forget that Amy and Dan were still the evil Kabras, and that Ian and Natalie are the ones who need comforting right now.

But Ian was trying to hold in his tears. Everytime Nellie looked at him, he'd bite his lip, clench his fists, and look down. Nellie was worried that he might bite his whole entire lip off if he didn't quit it. As for Natalie, her way of trying to deal with this was throwing spit balls at the people in front of him, which were Jonah and the Starling twins. She didn't know how to comfort them. Nellie wondered how long this whole thing's going to go on for. She might start getting used to this.

"Excuse me Ian," Nellie whispered. "I have to go to the rest room."

Ian fought back his tears and risked a small nod.

Nellie squished past him and reached the end of the row of seats. She made her way down the side of the middle walkway and caught Amy and Dan's eyes, which were puffy and red. They actually looked sad for a moment, but as soon as Nellie blinked, a small, but evil smile etched itself into their lips.

_They're starting to get on my last nerve._

Nellie looked away and continued down the walkway until she reached the end. She walked back to the mansion's front doors and opened them. Surprise made its way to Nellie's face.

Grace's mansion wasn't like she expected. It was better. The magnificent statues in different shapes and sizes placed along different parts of the mansion; the paintings that were probably worth more than 5 million dollars; the display cases of fine China; Nellie was literally blown away.

"Nellie?"

Nellie whirled around to find Alistair standing a few feet away from her.

"Alistair?" She asked. Behind Alistair, a man dressed all in black appeared with a surprised look.

"Nellie!" Fiske exclaimed. "You remember everything, I know you do!"

Nellie ran to hug both of them. Fiske hugged her back while Alistair awkwardly put his arm around Nellie.

"Do you guys know what's going on?" She asked. "Because I will die if you didn't know what was going on. It's driving me nuts! Ned, Ted, and Broderick have turned into sports freaks, Eisenhower and Sinead are now the ones touring arond the world for concerts, Reagan, Madison and Jonah are the Starlings, Ian and Natalie are exactly like Dan and Amy, and Amy and Dan are wearing expensive clothing from Prada and Armani!" Nellie took in a deep breath, stopped, and waited for Alistair and Fiske to reply.

"Of course we know what's-" Fiske started, but was interrupted by Nellie hugging him again.

Alistair took in some air. "Well, at least you know too. It's better that more people know of this . . . problem, let's call it, that Isabel caused."

Nellie and Fiske finished hugging and looked at Alistair. "Something confuses me," Nellie said. "Didn't you guys get hit by that whatachamacallit gun thingy that Isabel used?"

"No," Alistair and Fiske answered together.

"So, no one else didn't get hit?"

"We didn't."

Nellie looked over Alistair and Fiske's shoulders and saw Mary-Todd and Hamilton Holt a few meters away from them.

"B-but you guys were acting like you didn't know," Nellie said.

"We know," Mary-Todd said and walked towards Nellie, Fiske, and Alistair with Hamilton following behind her. "We only pretended not to know so the others won't notice that we were acting strange."

"Well, stranger than we usually are," Hamilton told Nellie. "But _you _started to get all cry baby when you saw Amy and Dan."

"It's called emotion," Nellie said. "You wouldn't know. At least when you're back here. You were just as heartless as them."

"Alright, enough of that!" Fiske screamed out. "We won't be able to fix this mix up if we keep arguing."

_He's right_, Nellie thought. "Alright, but what do we do now?"

"We have to do things the way they happened before," Alistair said. "Amy and Dan- or Ian and Natalie- have to win the clue hunt like they did before. They have to go through all the challenges that they went through, which means we also have to do the same things we did during the clue hunt. And by doing that, you Nellie, have to make sure that Ian and Natalie win; help them the way you helped Amy an-"

"Okay I get it," Nellie interrupted in exasperation.

"Does that mean we still have to blow up the Franklin Institute and hurt the Starlings?" Hamilton asked. "And repeat all the dangerous stuff that we did and almost got into?"

"I'm afraid so," Fiske said.

"But . . . " Nellie started. She remembered how heart broken Amy was when Ian betaryed her. Now, she has to let that happen again? This time, Amy has to hurt Ian, and Nellie didn't think she could handle that. "That wouldn't be fair. Can we at least change some things that happened?"

Alistair and Fiske shook their heads in disagreement.

"That means Irina has to . . ." Mary-Todd started.

"Die," Nellie finished in a whisper.

"And why exactly do I have to die?" said a heavily-accented voice that sounded like Russian, which can only belong to one person. Nellie looked behind her to see Irina Spasky in the flesh with an expressionless- or maybe it was a bored- face.

No one answered; only stared straight ahead.

Irina looked down at her fingers and revealed her poison fingernails. If Nellie were to stand far away and look at Irina's nails, she would have thought Irina was Wolverine.

"I will repeat the question," Irina said taking a step towards Nellie, Fiske, Mary-Todd, Hamilton, and Alistair. "Why do I have to die?"

* * *

**Kinda short? I know. I'll try writing the fifth chapter longer. **

**Hate it? Love it? Then review it!**

**~Blue**


	5. Isabel Switches Again

***Gasps* Chapter five is up! Let's all give a round of aupplause to Kowalistair Fanatic, my most supportive and enthusiastic reviewer! This one's for you!**

* * *

~FIVE~

_Isabel Switches Again_

Nellie could feel the blood race through her heart. Irina wasn't supposed to find out about anything. In fact, it was a surprise for Nellie seeing her again. She forgot that she was in the past. Here, she existed, and she just heard Mary-Todd talk about her death.

"Do not make me say it again!" Irina yelled in frustration, her eye twitching. She looked at Mary-Todd, then Hamilton, and Alistair. Then, she looked at Nellie and Fiske.

"You two," she said. "Who are you?"

Fiske and Nellie looked at each other. Fiske didn't look the least bit terrified. It was Nellie who was sure that she had a look of fear on. Irina was always on Amy and Dan's trail for the entire clue hunt, until she died. Or perished, as Alistair preferred saying. But that didn't change the fact that she was everywhere Amy and Dan went.

Nellie tried to stay strong and answered, "Nellie Gomez. Ian and Nat Cahill's au pair." She felt proud to remember that everyone called Natalie "Nat" and that their last names were Cahill.

Irina looked at her in disgust. She turned to Fiske next.

"And what about you?" Irina asked Fiske. She looked at the way he was dressed; black coat, black hat, black everything. Nellie guessed that Fiske hadn't bought his grey attire until his trip to the Caribbean. Irina looked Fiske up and down, head to toe.

"And those pesky Kabras tell me to dress better," Irina mumbled under her breath.

"Holy moley, you're alive!" Hamilton said. Nellie elbowed him on his side. It wasn't really a massive blow on Hamilton's part. Probably only as weak as a poke.

Hamilton cleared his throat. "Um, I mean"- he deepened his voice- "What are those things in your fingernails?"

"I ask the questions here," Irina snapped. "Now, answer my first question, or-" She raised her hand up to her face and pretended to fix her manicure. "We might not get along very well."

"What kind of question was that?" Nellie whispered to Hamilton.

"I couldn't think of anything else!" And Nellie thought that was the perfect excuse for his brain.

Alistair gripped his cane tightly and spoke in a well-mannered voice. "Irina, really, I don't see what the matter is. We were simply discussing things that might happen if, er, you will let Isabel toy with you for the rest of your life." Nellie bit her lip, unsure on whether or not Alistair was making the right decision.

_What are you doing uncle A?_

Irina took a step towards Alistair and pointed her fingernails to his face. Her eye twitched with rage. "And why would you discuss that?"

By now, Alistair and Irina were isolated from the group. The rest moved out of the range of Irina's fingers.

"And what do we have here?" a familiar voice said. Nellie turned to see Amy and Dan watching in amusement at either Irina's rage, or Alistair's confidence. None of those were amusing, of course, but nothing amuses a Kabra more than a group of "losers" try and threaten each other.

"Well, well, well," Dan said taking a step. "I suppose you couldn't wait until after the will reading? Not like you at all, Alistair. I thought you were supposed to be patient and well-mannered. Have some respect for the witch." Dan looked at Irina and smiled.

Irina scowled and stiffened. Nellie didn't want her to bend her fingers at all. To her relief, Irina remained frozen in her position.

"And dear Irina," Amy said in a fake caring tone. She made her face look like she was looking out for Irina, but her eyes said otherwise. Then Amy's face changed into an evil smile. "Don't you know well enough that Alistair is very incapable of self-defense? Stop threatening the old man."

Hamilton stepped forward in front of Dan and Amy. "Whoah! You two are so different!" He poked Amy's arm and touched Dan's hair.

Dan slapped Hamilton's hand off of his hair. "Do you mind? Your barbaric hands aren't appropriate for touching my hair."

"What do you two want?" Irina asked, definitely angry.

"Oh, nothing," Amy said casually. "Just wondering why some people aren't sticking to an agreement."

"What agreement?" Nellie said, looking at Alistair. Amy's head turned to Nellie. She scowled.

"Who exactly are you?" She asked.

Nellie wasn't scared. She knew that deep down inside, Amy was still that girl who used to stay up late curled up on her bed with a book. If only she could snap her out of it.

Nellie stepped forward bravely. "Nellie Gomez. What about you?" She asked. She wanted the Kabras to get angry and miffed. After all, they were asking for it.

"Nice try," Dan said, "But we are already aware that you know us. You tried harassing us a moment ago."

Nellie gasped defensively. "I was not harassing you! I was just . . ."

"Out of her mind," Hamilton said. Nellie stuck her tongue out at him. "And you didn't answer her question, by the way. What agreement?"

Fiske pulled Nellie gently and slowly towards him enough to whisper into her ear, while Hamilton and Amy argued about whether Hamilton's clothes were in fashion.

"Back then, I listened in on all of Amy and Dan's competitors talk about an agreement that they won't sabotage each other until after the hunt starts," Fiske whispered in Nellie's ear. "No bugs, no cameras, no tracking devices, no nothing. But of course, they all went behind each other's backs. Irina placed a tracking device on the Holts, Alistair planted a bug on Irina, the Kabras set up cameras everywhere in Grace's mansion, and the Holts paid a bus boy to dress up as a Cahill and follow the Kabras. The bus boy turned up missing after that."

"Yes, and he was very fun to torture," Dan whispered. "You can join him if you stop whispering to each other."

Nellie walked away from Fiske next to Hamilton, who was just five suicidal steps away from Amy. Next to her was Mary-Todd, who was giving Irina five different versions of the stink eye. In front of Alistair and Fiske was Dan. It was only then that Nellie noticed they were positioned for what was probably a fight. The three Lucians versus four branches of the Cahill family.

"Who wants to start?" Dan asked. Everyone looked back at him with the same scorn that tore the family apart.

"No one?" Amy said in fake sweetness. "How unfortunate. Alright then," she took out a dart gun hidden in a secret compartment in her dress. Nellie didn't even notice it. She pointed the gun directly at Hamilton and smiled.

_Oh, Gosh_, Nellie thought_. I've got to stop this_.

Nellie was just about to lurch forward and stop Amy from shooting when Dan collapsed on the floor. Then Irina, then Amy, and once they all fell down, a figure stood before them obscured in the shadows with only her feet showing, which were jammed inside stiletto heels, and her hands outstretched and holding up a different looking dart gun, more advanced, and more . . . evil-looking.

"Oh, hello sweet dears," the figure purred. The voice sounded female and familiar.

Everyone looked at each other horrified. That voice would be the death of everyone in the room.

The figure stepped out of the shadows, her face now exposed to everyone.

"Did you all miss me?" asked Isabel Kabra.

* * *

"What's keeping Nellie?" Natalie asked Ian. The service was done and they buried Grace already. The whole entire crowd of Cahills were talking to each other, although Natalie noticed that they were awkwardly dispersed in clumps. Natalie caught some people glancing over their shoulders suspiciously.

"Maybe she's just wandering around Grace's mansion, Nat," Ian replied tiredly. "She hasn't been in there before. And you know how she is with the fancy stuff."

"But she's been gone for half an hour!"

"Maybe she has an upset stomach."

"Well, the toilet must be overflowing already," she mumbled.

"Nellie can't fill a whole toilet with her . . . feces," Ian said.

"Of course you would know. You probably read up on a toilet's maximum capacity!"

Ian rolled his red, puffy-from-crying eyes.

Natalie stuck her tongue out at Ian. She looked around for any chances of finding Nellie, but instead, cried out in pain. She didn't realize how stiff her neck was from turning around in her seat to pretend that she was also hit with a spit ball, so her victim wouldn't notice it was her.

"You look like you're in pain," Ian asked her.

"Wow, no one can read me like you can!"

Ian rolled his eyes again.

"Thank you all for coming," a man in a charcoal gray suit said gravely. "I am William McIntyre, Madame Cahill's lawyer and executor."

"Executor?" Natalie whispered to Ian. "He killed her?"

"No, you stupid," Ian whispered back. "That means he's in charge of her will."

"If you will look inside your programs," William McIntyre continued, some of you will find a gold invitation card."

Once William McIntyre said that, more than four hundred people leafed through their program all at once. Then most of them burst out in anger and complaints, some even cursed out loud. Natalie flipped through her program violently, and yelled a soft "woo-hoo!" when she found her gold invitation.

**_Ian and Natalie Kabra are hereby invited to the  
reading of  
the last will and testament of Grace Cahill_**

**WHERE**

_**The Great Hall, Cahill Manor**_

**WHEN**

_**Now**_

"Hah!" Natalie told Ian, who didn't even bother to look. "Right in the Cobras' and the Holts' and the Starlings' and the Wizards' faces!" She looked around to see if they were enjoying this. She saw the Starlings, then the Holt's, but no Cobras, and surprisingly, no Hamilton Holt either. Then Natalie double checked her invitation.

It said "Kabra" instead of Cahill. Natalie looked back again at where the Starlings were. They also looked puzzled. Same for the Wizards and the Holts. Could their names be also mixed up? How could this have happened?

McIntyre mentioned a few more words to everyone, but he seemed to have his eyes focused mostly on Natalie. He said something about gathering in the hall. And like deers running away from their hunter, all the Cahills gathered around McIntyre stampeded their way into the Great hall.

Natalie looked at Ian, who was flinching because of everyones sudden eagerness to get in.

"L-let's go in, Nat," Ian said. He had to push her bit by bit to get inside.

She looked again at her gold invitation. It was probably just a typo, since she would never become a Cobra, but for some reason, it freaked her out.

And those weird, angry animals that surrounded the Cahill coat of arms didn't seem to relax her either.

* * *

"How did you get here?" Hamilton asked flabbergasted.

"You seemed to have forgotten that _we_ built the time machine. I can do whatever I want," Isabel replied. She bent down and turned Amy on her back, so her face was facing Isabel. "Oh, look at dear, sweet, sleeping beauty. I think I might have hatched the best plan yet. I'm really going to enjoy this in the future." Isabel cackled with joy at her little joke.

"Why are you here again, Isabel?" Alistair asked.

Isabel's feet glided gracefully around Amy's limp body, and pointed the gun at Alistair. "To stall."

Before Nellie could establish what Isabel meant by that, she shot Alistair with the dart gun. Alistair collapsed on the floor almost instantly. Nellie ran to him, but Isabel pointed the gun at her.

"Oh, no you don't." With the gun still pointed, and ready to shoot at Nellie, or anyone else who cam near, Isabel kicked Irina towards Alistair. When their hands touched, Isabel shot the both again, except, a dart didn't come flying out of the gun: it was a familiar beam of light. The same as the one that shot out from the Switch-o-Matic.

It was too late, when the beam hit Alistair and Irina. A flash of white light surrounded them, a couple of seconds after. Nellie, and everyone else in the room, had to cover their eyes, so they wouldn't go blind.

The white flash disappeared, but Nellie was afraid to look at the results.

"Holey moley!" She heard Hamilton say.

Now Nellie was even more afraid to look.

"Nellie," Fiske whispered. "You may want to look at this."

It took a lot of courage for Nellie to pry her fingers away from her eyes, but she did it. And now, she wished she hadn't.

Standing on the floor, with regained consciousness, was Alistair and Irina, clothes different, or rather, switched. Irina was now wearing lime-colored dress pants and blazer. She was also holding up a diamond-tipped cane. Alistair was wearing the male version of Irina's uniform.

"What happened?" Alistair asked with a Russian accent. He clutched his neck when he realized he was talking with an accent.

"I don't know," Irina said with a smooth, calm, accent. The kind Alistair used to talk with.

"Oh, no," Mary-Todd said. "She . . . switched you."

"New technology developed by the Vespers," Isabel said. "This gun has so many different purposes. Let's just say I have different kinds of guns built into one brilliant weapon. That includes the Switch-o-Matic." Isabel pointed her gun at at Mary-Todd, then Hamilton, then Fiske, then Nellie. She aimed her gun in the open air behind her and shot.

Instead of a bullet, or a beam flying aimlessly into the air, something colorful bounced on the ground. Then, a sudden gust of wind blew lightly around all the Cahills in the room. The colorful object stretched and opened out into a wide circle on the floor, random objects jumping out of it: a lamp, a chair, and a boxing glove.

It was a portal.

"Time travel, anyone?" Isabel said grinning. Then her grin faded and turned into a menacing, angry, and demonic face. "Well, too bad." And with that, she jumped inside. The portal closed leaving the random objects lying on the floor.

"What happened?" Dan asked, regaining consciousness.

Fiske and Hamilton searched for excuses, stammering "ah-er, um, uh . . ."

Nellie would've joined them if she weren't concentrating so hard on one fact.

_Alistair's right_, she was thinking. _The only way we can fix this is to start all over again. _

But even then, what would that do? Would it really fix things? Would it be all over? Would it knock some sense into Amy and Dan, so they can defeat Isabel again?

Nothing seemed upright anymore, but starting over was their only plan.

* * *

**Love it? Hate it? Do you want the sixth chapter longer? Nah, that one's up to me. Or you, if I feel like it. But anyways, review please!**

**~Blue**


	6. The Hunt is on    Again!

**Chapter six is up! Sorry it took a long time. I admit, this chapter was a little rushed, but don't worry, I will try harder and take more time with the seventh chapter. It took a long time for me to find the right words. :)**

**Thanks to Kowalistair Fanatic again for checking in with me! It helped a lot!**

**So, on with this chapter!**

* * *

~SIX~

_The Hunt is on . . . Again!_

After watching a video of the late Grace Cahill stating her will, finding a million dollars under his chair, finding out he was part of the most powerful family in the world, and constantly being bugged by Natalie's screams of happiness, Ian Cahill was very much tired of hearing the word Cahill.

Grace's lawyer, Mr. McIntyre, was had his finger pressed to his ear. His lips moved, but barely noticeable, like he was speaking. When he removed his hand, Ian saw nothing in his ear. Mr. McIntyre's eyes scanned the room. Ian followed his eyes to the Kabras.

They looked flushed and a bit out of their usual confidence. Still, they managed to get back their smiles before anyone noticed. Daniel had that stupid, smug smile, and Amy had that nice charming smile that always made Ian's heart flutter. They approached their seats and sat.

"Cobras are back," Natalie said. "Wonder where they went. They just missed the biggest moment of their lives!"

Ian looked back at the Kabras. They weren't even caring. They were eyeing everyone in the room as if they were clowns doing foolish tricks. It seemed as if they already knew about this whole hunt thing.

"Ian, a million dollars," natalie was screaming beside him. "Just think of all the good stuff we can buy! I can design my whole room pink! With ninjas wearing tutus!"

Ian closed his eyes to block away Natalie's screaming. He mentally begged for her to shut up. How can she be so excited? It's Grace's funeral, for crying out loud! And all these people in the room. All they care about right now is the money. There were yells of excitement, suspicion, and Broderick Holt's voice echoed across the room as his family yelled for Hamilton and Mary-Todd.

"Where's Nellie?" Ian asked out loud.

"Oh, don't worry," came a voice from behind Ian. He turned to face Amy Kabra and his annoying brother, Daniel. "We met her on our way to the loo. Friend of yours, I suppose? Netta?"

"It's Nellie," Natalie snapped. "And she's our au pair."

"That's right!" Daniel exclaimed. "You have a babysitter. Is it as embarassing as it sounds?"

"Au pair!" Nat screamed.

"W-what do you want?" Ian cut in.

"Oh, nothing," Amy said. "Just wondering what happened while we were gone, that's all."

Amy smiled at Ian angelically. He started to prespire, and his tongue felt twisted and knotted into twenty different knots. He hated having to deal with the Kabras. Ian was so jealous of them. They had everything, from designer clothes to designer who knows what else, as Nat always said. Not to mention Amy's gorgeousness. He felt like a fool around them.

"When you were gone?" Natalie asked. "The biggest chunk of your life that you never knew! We're supposedly the biggest family ever to roam this Earth, and Grace said she's asking anyone who wants to to 'part take' in this whole 'hunt' thing . . ."

As Nat went on and on, Daniel and Amy smiled at each other. "Thank you for explaining Natalie," Amy said after she finished.

"It's Nat. N-A-T. Nat. Don't ever call me Natalie."

Amy waved her arm in the air. "Whatever. You'll decline the challenge, of course," purred. "It would be dreadful to see something bad happen to you."

"And you so need the money," Daniel added.

"G-G-Grace . . ." Ian struggled to say. "G-Grace would want-"

"Would want you to risk your lives?" Amy supplied. "I don't know. This challenge sounds quite dangerous. Isn't it painful to realize that you were Grace's favorites and she left you in the dark like that? Besides, we'd hate to witness you suffer a horrific death. Ta-ta!"

They stood and drifted back into the crowd.

"_Ta-ta!"_ Nat mimicked. "What losers."

"They're taking the challenge," Ian said.

"Duh," Nat said. "What's another two million to them? That's probably not half of what's in their precious bank account. It's easy for them. Not everyone finds a million dollars under their seats everyday! You know how people find nickels on the ground? I bet they find checks of money! Maybe even rare coins! That would be good for my collection . . ."

The everyday life of Nat Cahill: collecting that wasn't chained to the floor and giving get well cards to teachers that couldn't handle being in the same room as her.

Ian massaged his forehead. All this newsis coming all at once! He was getting a bad headache.

Then suddenly, Aunt Beatrice grabbed both their arms. "You will take the money! I intend to take my million as well. Never fear, I'll put it in an account for you until you are adults. I'll only spend the interest. In return, I will allow you to continue as my wards."

"You'll _allow _us to give you aour two million dollars?" Ian said in anger.

"Watch you're place young man!" Beatrice shot back. "Do it, or else!"

"Or else what?" Nat asked innocently.

"Or else, you little upstart, I'm going to disown you and leave you in Social Services!" Beatrice raged. "This silly little hunt is a game for fools! Take the million!" Ian noticed that her voice trembled a bit. She left without another word.

"Your time is up," McIntyre said. "Who will choose first?"

"This is ridiculous," Aunt Beatrice said. "Anyone of you who plays this silly game are fools! I'll take the money."

One by one, each Cahill approached the exit holding a million dollars in their hands.

Then Amy and Daniel Kabra rose. "We accept the challenge," Amy announced. "We will work as a team of two. Give us the clue."

"Very well," Nr. McIntyre said. "Your vouchers, please." Amy and Daniel gave Mr. McIntyre they're vouchers and burned them with a lighter.

Then the Holts came up, along with Sinead Wizard, and the Starlings, each accepting the challenge. McIntyre burned everyone single one of their vouchers. Beside Ian, Nat cringed at the sight of burning money.

Grace's words went through Ian's head. _You will make me proud._

And Ian knew what to choose. He looked at Nat, and they communicated without saying a word.

_We can buy everything we've always wanted! _Natalie's face said.

_Grace would've wanted us to do this, _Ian's face said back.

_But-_

_Aunt Beatrice would hate it._

Nat smiled. "I guess it wouldn't hurt." With that, Ian took both their vouchers, and gave it to Mr. McIntyre, who burned the two million dollar-papers goodbye.

* * *

"It's all good," Fiske said.

They were in a secret part of Grace's mansion, where Fiske listened in on all of the Cahills during the will-reading. This time, he wasn't alone. Standing beside him were Nellie, Hamilton, Mary-Todd, Alistair, and Irina. They explained to Irina quickly about what was going on. She refused to believe it, but she had no other choice than to follow the plan.

"They've accepted," Fiske said. "But Broderick and your 'siblings'"- Fiske air quoted -"are still looking for you."

"Well, what are we gonna do with these two," Hamilton asked pointing to Alistair and Irina. When the Kabras started to regain consciousness, Fiske, Mary-Todd and Nellie hauled Alistair and Irina away from the Kabras' sight, while Hamilton explained why their heads were throbbing. The random objects Isabel left on the floor proved to be useful, after all. Hamilton had explained that his family knocked them out with the objects.

"Will anyone notice?" Nellie asked. "What if the Switchy-matic doesn't make anyone notice?"

"Well, we're going to have to take that risk," Fiske said. "They'll still have to continue on with the hunt as planned."

"We can't do that without the others noticing!" Nellie exclaimed. "It's going to be impossible. Ian and Natalie will just have to do the hunt over again without Alistair and Irina."

"No, they have to be in it," Fiske said. "There'll be some disadvantages to that."

"There'll also be advantages," Nellie pointed out. "Like . . . Alistair won't be there to take their first hint. That book thing. What's it called again?"

"The _Poor Richard's Almanack_," Fiske said. "But there's also a disadvantage. That's when they realized they couldn't trust anyone. What if they trusted someone else more dangerous than Alistair was?"

"You mean the Cobras?" Hamilton asked. "Yeah, they probably thought back then that Amy and Dan we're gonna be gone first. That's what we all thought."

"We underestimated them," Mary-Todd piped in. "So they ended up winning."

"Fine," Fiske said. "You've got a point. But please, let's stick to the actual plan. Are you all ready?"

They all nodded, except for Irina, who just scowled.

Show time.

* * *

Hamilton came out first, running towards his family yelling, "Wait up! I'm with my family!"

"I too shall play this game," Alistair said, coming out after Hamilton. He handed McIntyre a voucher.

Nellie hid behind the door to the Great Hall. She watched as Alistair walked towards the five teams that accepted the challenge. They didn't look stunned that Alistair was wearing different clothes, and that he was talking with an accent.

Then Irina came out. "So will I." She gave McIntyre her voucher.

Two million dollars went up in smoke.

Nellie and Fiske sagged onto the walls. Nothing happened. They weren't noticed at all! They had taken the risk and it was worth it. Her heart beat was pounding in her ears. Fiske blew out a breath.

The next thing Nellie and Fiske heard was the ripping of the envelopes that contained the teams' first leads, the Holts yelling for more clue.

"Are you ready, dear brother?" Nellie heard Amy ask.

"To make fools of our American cousins?" Dan asked. "Anytime."

Nellie and Fiske ran from behind the Great Hall doors and behind the bushes.

_The hunt is on, _Nellie thought. _Again._

* * *

**Sorry for any mistakes! Please point out any of them! In other words, read and review! Your opinion matters!**

**~Blue**


	7. After the Funeral

**Huzzah! Next chapter! Finally! Thank you Kowalistair Fanatic for telling me to get off of my lazy butt, and helping me get inspired!**

**On with the next chapter!**

* * *

~SEVEN~

_After the Funeral_

"Where were you?" Ian screamed at Nellie. Him and Natalie were back from the funeral all soot-stained and smelling like smoke.

Nellie knew exactly what happened. Since Irina was switched with Alistair, she got to betray Ian and Natalie. When she radioed ahead to Nellie and Fiske, it seemed as if she even enjoyed it.

_Burning down the mansion? _Nellie thought. _Check!_

Nellie kept up her pokerface. She continued to eat the tub of Cherry Garcia ice cream, which Natalie freaked out about. "I got a ride home. Beatrice let me."

"But you didn't even tell us!" Ian yelled.

"Isn't there a rule against leaving your two charges alone in a crowd full of people who hate us?" Natalie asked. "Because if there is, you totally just followed it and ditched us!"

Nellie stood up. "Okay, your aunt? Yeah, I asked her if it's okay if I leave, because first of all, funerals give me the shivers. I mean, dead body in a coffin? Nellie don't think so. No offense to your grandma. She had cool grandchildren, you know? Second of all, your family gives me the creeps. They're like a whole cluster of robots. They don't even smile, and when they do, they look like Captain Hook when he thinks he's put one over Peter Pan. You know, evil-looking smiles? So I took your car and drove home. Your aunt said she'll drive you home, because she'll have enough money to buy a new Ferrari after the funeral."

Natalie stared at her blankly. Then she snatched the tub of ice cream out of her hands.

"But the point is you left us!" Ian persisted. "We almost died in a fire! Irina was going to leave us for dead! We thought you were still in there!"

Nellie saw her chance and seized it. "All right you two. You got to ask your questions. I answered them nicely, so it's my turn. Why would one of your relatives leave you to die in a fire?"

"Um . . . I m-meant to say . . ." Ian said. Nellie gave a mental cry of joy. Now they won't be on her case anymore.

"He didn't mean to say anything," Natalie said with a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. "Can we drop the whole conversation? We need your help."

Nellie already knew how this was going to go down. They would ask her for her help by making up some dumb story about Beatrice breaking her neck. Then she'd say yes, and then they were off to Philadelphia for the Starling's surprise.

"Okay," Nellie said crossing her arms. "How may I help you? . . ."

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of Boston, Alistair stood still deciding on who to sit beside during a top scret meeting. Amy or Dan?

The two children smiled up at him. He had specific instructions from Fiske as to how the meeting was going to go down. Including who to sit beside, in case he was in for betrayal, which, he knew, was a Kabra family tradition.

He chose to sit beside the less-threatening, Dan, or Daniel, as he preferred being called. Dan smiled up at him and moved over. Alistair stared at him for a few seconds, pretending that he was still the Dan that would've cried if he were wearing blue polo shirts, dress pants, and loafers.

_If I could hug him for just a few seconds . . ._

But he knew better than to change the past and upset the future.

"Have you considered our proposal?" Amy asked.

Alistair nodded. "You have come to the same conclusion as I. The second clue is not in Boston."

"Exactly," Amy said. "We've told our parents to charter us a private jet. We'll be off within the hour."

The Kabras' interest in the clues have never perplexed Alistair as much as Irina. It was obvious why: power. Every Cahill's dream. So when Ian and Natalie chose to accept the challenge way back when they were themselves, Alistair was only bothered. The fact that their parents provided them with everything certainly bothered him. And even more, now that Amy and Dan were the Kabras. They were nothing like their Lucian cousins. It was a struggle to see them acting this way.

"So?" Alistair said. "Where will you go?"

Amy sat forward. "You know it's about Benjamin Franklin."

"Yes."

"Then you know where we're going, and you know what we're after."

"You also know," Dan added, "that we can't allow the secret to fall into anyone else's hands. As Lucians, we should work together. You should set the trap."

Alistair felt a wave of fear pass over him. Sure, Isabel switched his and Irina's lives, so that everyone recognized him as a Lucian cohort. But deep down in his core, he was an Ekaterina, a descendant of Katherine. How could he possibly set up a Lucian trap?

"You could set the trap yourselves," he said.

Dan shook his head. "They would suspect _us. _You, on the other hand, can lure them to their doom."

Alistair hesitated. He'd heard that Amy and Dan escaped the Kabras' first few traps before, but what was it, exactly? He hadn't heard the whole story.

_I have to contact Nellie. _

"What is in it for me?" he asked.

"They're our biggest threat," Amy pointed out. "They may not realize it yet, but they will in time. We have to eliminate them quickly. It'll benefit all of us. Besides, you'll have the Lucian stronghold at your disposal. Afterwards, there will be time to fight each other. Now, we must destroy our competition."

"And the Madrigals?" Alistair asked

A ripple of nervousness crossed Amy's face quickly. Alistair couldn't help but move his lips slightly to the side in the form of a smile.

"One enemy at a time, cousin," Amy said.

"Does it seem odd to you," Alistair asked slowly, "that the Lucian database contains so little about Franklin?"

"There should have been more, it's true," Amy said, annoyed. "Apparently, Franklin was hiding something . . . even from his kin."

Dan smiled coldly. "A Lucian who doesn't trust his kin- imagine that."

Amy waved his comment aside. "Complaining about it will change nothing. We need to deal with Ian and Natalie. Cousin Alistair, do we have a deal?"

The hotel doors opened, and a heavyset man in a brown suit strode through, heading for the front desk. Probably an undercover police man. Meeting any longer would be dangerous.

Alistair fixed his tie. "Very well. I shall prepare the trap."

Amy and Dan rose.

"I am glad we came to an arrangement," Alistair said. "I did not wish to hurt you."

"Oh, we're glad, too," Amy said sweetly. "Daniel, I believe it's safe now."

Alistair looked at Dan and realizwd that he had a tiny silver dart gun cupped in her hand, less than two inches from Alistair's chest. He felt himself sweating.

"It was so good to see you, Alistair," Dan said.

"Indeed," Amy said. "Do let us know when Ian and Natalie are eliminated, won't you?" She smiled evilly, and walked outside of the hotel.

When Alistair saw them drive away in their limo, he sighed in relief and took out his phone. "The meeting's done."

Fiske's voice answered on the other end of the line. "Good."

"But before you hang up, I just have one favor to ask."

"What's that?"

"Help me lure Ian and Natalie into a Lucian trap."

* * *

**Ta-da! What did you think? Not my best chapter? Probably. Review please!**

**~Blue**


	8. The Starling Situation

**Next chapter up already! I know what you're thinking: Whoah, Blue actually spedup this time! I know, but only because this chapter was meant to be short. :)**

* * *

~EIGHT~

_The Starling Situation_

"Burying them alive," Nellie said. An image of a dirty and scruffy Amy and Dan popped in her head when they came back from almost being buried alive and a near-death escape from a Lucian stronghold.

"Are you positive?"

"Never been more positive!" Nellie exclaimed into her phone.

"I'm having trouble imagining doing that to Ian and Natalie," Alistair said on the other end of the line. He was asking for help to try to kill Ian and Natalie under the orders of Amy and Dan.

_Usually the other way around, _Nellie thought sarcastically.

Nellie glanced at the entrance of the Franklin museum, where she last saw Ian, Natalie, and Fiske. Then she looked at the tiny camera on her wristwatch where the Holts- Mary-Todd and Hamilton working undercover- were arguing and fooling around, just moments before the bomb was to blow and injure the Starlings severely.

Of course, Hamilton protested against bombing the Starlings.

"But- but-" he stammered.

"We can't risk anything dangerous to happen," Fiske had explained. "Everything has to go as planned."

"And then there's the whole meeting with McIntyre thing," Nellie had added.

"We can't let Isabel prevail," Fiske said firmly. "We can't let the vespers win."

Then they ended up in front of the museum. Now Nellie was just waiting for the action to happen. She despised the idea of injuring Jonah, Ned and Ted as much as Hamilton. Especially when Jonah had already endured an eight-hour surgery to fix practically every bone his body way back after the Gauntlet incident. But everything had to happen exactly like it did before. Just with different people.

"Me too," Nellie said. "They'll find their way. They're Lucians at core, but right now, they're Amy and Dan."

The two names of her kids brought a slight pang to Nellie's heart. She hasn't seen much of them yet, but Ian and Natalie's minds were wired to impress their difficult-to-impress mother. If Amy and Dan were them now, she'll be too sick to always see them try to kill other people.

_We've got to straighten things out! _

Easier said than done.

A black Mercedes approached the museum and Jonah, Reagan, and Madison stepped out.

"The Starlings are coming in," Nellie whispered into her phone. "McIntyre will help you set the trap Alistair. Right now I have to take care of this." Before Alistair could say anything else, Nellie shut her phone off and put on a pink hairband that worked similarly to the hairbands Sinead used to wear to listen in on Nellie's conversations: equipped with a communication device.

"Hamilton, can you hear me?" Nellie asked as she watched him and his "family" through her wristwatch. "Touch your toes if you can."

Hamilton bent down and touched his toes. He gave Mary-Todd a thumbs up.

"Just hang in there," Nellie said.

"Roger."

She switched her camera's viewing to inside the museum where Ian and Natalie were holding up the black light reader to Franklin's letters. She saw Fiske not too far behind them, waiting, and making sure that they make it out alive. His face looked absolutely tired.

The Starlings spotted them,and hid behind one of Franklin's inventions in a display case. Fiske was right behind them.

"The Starlings just saw Ian and Natalie. It's almost time," Nellie whispered.

Hamilton might've been the strongest person that Nellie has ever seen, but he had his sensitive side. Jonah and him had become best friends.

Nellie heard him take a deep breath. "Let's do this," he said.

Ian and Natalie were now holding the black light reader up to read the hidden writing. The Starlings approached them, took out their phone, and shot a photo. A panicked face, a quick warning, and the Starlings started to leave.

_This is it, _Nellie thought nervously.

"They're leaving," Nellie said. She counted down.

_Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . . _

* * *

**So I tried to do a suspenseful cliffie. Hope you liked it despite its shortness :) R&R**

**~Blue**


	9. Another Interruption

**UPDATE! Thanks to all who have reviewed! I appreciate it!**

**Thanks to Zania330 for mentioning me in her story :)**

**Read on!**

* * *

~NINE~

_Another Interruption_

Hamilton heard Nellie's voice. "They're leaving."

Beside him, Broderick, Ned and Ted were all trying to grab the remote from Hamilton's hands. They all wanted to be the ones to blow up Jonah and his _real _siblings. But that can't happen. The twins annoyed him at times. But Reagan and Madison were too much to sacrifice. They're family. You didn't hurt family. He learned that from Amy and Dan.

_I need to save Amy and Dan, like they saved me from making the biggest mistakes of my life, _he thought. _But I can't hurt my sisters! _

"Now Hamilton!" Nellie screamed.

He felt his hand freeze over the button.

_Do it you big wimp! _Hamilton thought. He tried his finger again and again. At first, it felt like fear and panic was stopping him from pressing the button, but he really couldn't move his finger. He tried to shift. Stuck solid. Wiggle. Nothing. Hamilton moved his head and saw that his body was tilted to the side like he was about to fall. But he was standing there, not hitting the ground.

_What the- _

He couldn't finish his thought. He saw his family frozen as well. They were all like statues.

And so was everyone else.

"I bet you're wondering what's going on," a silky, british voice purred.

For a second, Hamilton's brain stopped working. And he fell to the ground.

"Hamilton, Hamilton, Hamilton," the voice purred again.

Hamilton stood up to face Isabel Kabra. Her outfit changed, like she needed a new one everytime she time traveled. Her smile looked particularly smug. It reminded Hamilton of Ian Kabra.

"What did you do to my family?" Hamilton asked.

"Your family?" Isabel asked sarcastically. "Please. The only person you're actually related to is that mother of yours."

"My mother is a great mother!" Hamilton defended. "Better than a mother who would shoot her own children."

"My children are of great disappointment," Isabel snapped back. "And just to answer your previous question, I used another highly advanced Vesper weapon that can stop time whenever I want."

"Of course." Hamilton dared to roll his eyes. "Make sense that you'd need something you can use to fix yourself up every minute without anyone noticing."

"It's not a weapon for style," Isabel said. "This weapon is actually quite capable of death." Her lips curled into a smile.

Hamilton swallowed hard. "So how come you're here talking to me? What do you want?"

"It's not what I want," Isabel said, circling Hamilton, like a shark surrounding his prey. "It's what you want. See, I know you don't really want your little sisters to get crushed when you explode the museum. Not even Jonah."

_It's like she can read my mind, _Hamilton thought.

"You know as well as I do that Sinead and her brothers should be under there instead," Isabel said. "So I'm offering you a deal."

Hamilton snorted. "A deal with the Devil? You're crazy. If you think for one moment-"

"Your sisters," Isabel interrupted, "wll die, if you don't act fast."

Hamilton stopped again. "What kind of deal?"

Isabel's smile widened. "Don't do this. It isn't your job to be a little lap dog, after all. You don't always have to follow what those Madrigals say. You're better than them." Isabel faced him. "You and I both know what happens next in this clue hunt. Think of it. You can have the serum for yourself. You know where it is."

"Just spit it out already!" Hamilton snapped. "I know that's not really what you want."

"Patience is a virtue," Isabel said. Her smile weakened a bit. Obviously, she was trying to be patient with him, too. "The serum isn't only what I want. Not even close. But what I am trying to tell you, is that I need more assistance to do what I want."

Hamilton waited.

"I want you," Isabel said, "to join the Vespers."

Hamilton burst out in laughter.

Isabel took her gun and shot some colorful, oozy, looking thing in Hamilton's direction.

He shut up and thought to himself. He couldn't risk losing Reagan and Madison. They were his sisters. Through good and bad, they've been together. They never let each other down. And back then, if the Starlings didn't get crushed under collapsed roof, they would've never been trying to chase so hard after the serum. This means an easier chase, right?

But Amy and Dan have also gotten closer to him. Even during the clue hunt. They were the key to ending the feud between the Cahills. At least they were. Now it's Ian and Natalie. Hamilton never really understood why Ian would rather stick around for a massage than toss around a football. Same with Natalie. So why would he want to save them?

Because if there's one thing that he learned from Amy and Dan, it's risk someone's life, or riske the whole world. The Starlings were dangerous in the hunt. Crushed or not. And Hamilton understood that Ian and Natalie's mother gave them a hard time. He'd felt that with Eisenhower before.

"So?" Isabel asked, like she'dconvinvced him. She didn't. Hamilton would rather risk his sisters lives than the world. Plus, they were Tomas. They were strong. They've been on Everest before. They can handle it.

"No way," Hamilton answered. He pounced on Isabel and grabbed the gun from her hand. But Isabel was quick on her feet and dodged Hamilton.

"This isn't over," she said. Then she disappeared.

Then a loud explosion sounded through Philadelphia as Ian and Natalie ran down the steps and out of the museum, holding a cellphone.

Hamilton's family cheered, except for his mother, who was almost in tears. But he held strong. Reagan and Madison were in there somewhere, but they would manage. They always did.

* * *

Inside the museum, Reagan, Madison and Jonah Starling thought they were going to die, as soon as the ceiling started to crumble.

"AHHHHHHH!" Reagan heard Madison scream. She heard Jonah calling their names.

Reagan felt the Earth shake and her knees buckled. She fell to the floor and felt a huge chunk of the ceiling fall on her foot. She screamed in pain. Then she looked up to see a small chunk of the ceiling about to fall on her face. It was small, but enough to get her blind.

As if by reflex, she punched the concrete, causing it to break, missing her face by inches. Her hand didn't hurt at all, like she was used to hitting hard things.

The ground stopped shaking. She heard Jonah yelling at everyone to save his sisters.

Reagan didn't know what just happened, how she punched concrete with no problem.

It's not something she usually did. It's not something she thought she would ever do.

But it felt good.

* * *

**Done! Stay tuned! **

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! **

**~Blue**


	10. End of The Maze of Bones

~TEN~

_End of The Maze of Bones_

Fiske Cahill stood by as Ian, Natalie, and Nellie hurried inside the entrance to the Parisian Catacombs. Irina was hobbling along nearby with a diamond-tipped walking stick. She was rather upset that Alistair Oh set up the trap so poorly, even when he had temporary Lucian instincts. Nevertheless, it was enough to rattle up the nerves of Ian and Natalie.

Nellie shot a quick glance at Fiske before she entered. They each had tiny communication devices hidden in their ears. Nellie also made Fiske give her a camera to view the underground tunnels filled with bones. That way, he can consult the map and guide her.

"I know that everything has to happen again," Nellie had argued. "But I am not about to go down there again scared for my life. Once was enough."

Fiske sighed. Nellie was a good au pair. Stubborn and persuasive was supposedly the job requirement according to Grace.

Nellie recited a prayer in Spanish. That was her signal.

Fiske went inside his rented van where he had situated a computer monitor to view the scene Nellie was capturing with her hidden video camera. He watched as Ian directed them towards the older bones, how Natalie discovered the roman numerals etched onto the skulls' foreheads, and how Nellie acted as if this was her first time seeing them.

Then Amy and Dan entered the chamber.

Fiske let the scene play out. A stricken look from Ian as Dan pointed a dart gun at them. An angry look from Natalie as Amy and Dan confessed of setting the trap. A change of emotions. Then a determined Irina striking down a diamond-tipped walking stick over Dan's back.

"Alright," Fiske addressed Nellie. "Turn left."

* * *

Ian held on to one of the rungs on roof of the bell tower of St-Pierre's church. He clutched the glowing bottle of one of Ben Franklin's concoction in his left hand and held on for dear life with the other. He couldn't see very well in thpurporting rain, but he saw the outline of the window that led back to the bell tower and swung his leg inside.

"Nat, I did it!" he cried triumphantly to a bound and gagged Natalie struggling next to a self-assured teenager in black combat fatigues. Amy Kabra.

"Hello cousin," she said, holding out a plastic syringe. "I'll trade you."

"Let-let her go!" he yelled.

"I would hurry if I were you," she warned. "She doesn't have much time."

"W-what have you done to her?"

"Nothing that can't be reversed in the next minute or so." Amy tapped her finger on her wrist and mouthed "tick tock".

Behind the doors, the Holts would be crashing in any minute.

Ian thought quickly and held out the vial. He snatched the syringe out of Amy's hands just as she took the vial.

"Nice doing business with you, cousin," Amy said.

"You'll never get out of this tower. You're-you're trapped here just like-"

Then something occurred to him. How had Amy gotten in the tower in the first place?

"Kites," Amy said with a smile. She began fastening a piece of black silktot a metal frame that Ian realized was laid at her feet the whole time. "Another thing Franklin loved. He pulled himself across the Charles River with one, did you know?"

"You couldn't have-"

"Oh yes I did." She hooked her harness to the huge black kite. "I sailed right down from the Sacre-Coeur. And I'm going to sail right out again.

"You're a thief," Ian said.

Amy said more, but Ian stopped listening. Those words he just pronounced seemed so familiar. Not like he's said it to someone before, but like someone said it to him.

Even as Amy sailed out of the steer, Ian stood still. He hadn't stolen in his life. Stealing caused attention. Ian didn't like attention.

Natalie's muffled complains snapped him out of his wonder.

"Nat!" Ian screamed and ripped off her gag.

"Ow!"

"Hold still. I've got the antidote."

"Amy was bluffing!" Natalie groaned.

Ian tried to pay attention as he untied Natalie. Something about the black kite that Amy used, what he had said to her, and everything happening right now tugged at his mind. He just couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Suddenly, the trap door opened and Eisenhower Holt climbed into the belfry. Natalie broke the news to them and pointed toward the street where the Kabras were making their escape. Eisenhower roared and left at the sound of police sirens.

In spite of their mess and his confusion, Ian smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" Natalie complained. "The Kabras took our clue!"

"Whatever that was," Iansaid, "it wasn't the clue. The real clue was the paper you stuffed in your pocket!"

Natalie's eyes shined with hope and excitement. She'd demand to know how it was the real clue, but he'd explain everything to her later.

Right now, he wondered why he had the sudden interest to buy cologne.

* * *

**I finally updated! So, what did you think? Kind of fast, huh? Well, I had no choice. It would've been boring to repeat EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER. So key moments and a few twists is what you get. **

**Sorry for fast forwarding. Like I said, I had no choice, but I hope you review when you get the chance! **

**I shall make uthis'd it in the next chapter!**

**~Blue**


	11. The Stronghold, The Swords, and The Clue

**Huzzah! I'm alive! I haven't updated in, what? Six or seven months? I sincerely apologize.**

**If you care, I finally found the time and someone pushed me to do it, a.k.a, Reginaa111. Many thanks to you :)**

**So, enough of me, here's the new chapter!**

* * *

~ELEVEN~

_The Stronghold, The Swords, and The Clue_

Sinead Wizard has done multiple concerts, around the world tours, even performed and spoke on talk shows; she was fearless in front of crowds.

But as she walked down the impressive and creative hallways of the Janus' museum-like stronghold in Venice, she couldn't help but become nervous for a certain crowd of people: the Janus Council.

The Janus Council was the inner brain of all the Janus. They planned, schemed, and worked hard to steal vital information from the branches, or hunt them down. The panel of creative geniuses from Sinead's family were endless; in fact, all of them were. But only the best and brightest Januses ever made it into the council, including Cora Wizard.

Alongside her, Eisenhower Wizard was twiddling his thumbs at the loss of his BlackBerry. Broken as it was-by Ian and Nat, that is- Eisenhower could not bear the missing presence of his beloved gadget. That, or he was as scared as Sinead was in feeling the wrath of Cora.

The silent father and daughter walk came to a stop in front of a stark gray wall at the very heart of the stronghold. It was the hidden entrance to one of the council's most guarded hidden meeting rooms. As soon as the Cahills crashed Sinead's own turf, Cora Wizard made it possible to turn five different shades of red and summon her own daughter to the meeting room.

"Well," Eisenhower said. "This is it."

Sinead looked at the hidden entrance uneasily. She was shaking so bad that the chains of gold and silver hanging from her neck made barely audible jingles. She felt a hand warm her shoulder and turned to see the sympathetic face of her father.

"It's okay," he said. He opened his mouth to say more, but no sound came.

"I'm okay," Sinead whispered, but her voice came out lower.

She turned her gaze back towards the entrance, took a deep breath, and pressed the button that activated a thousand security checks, all the while, cuddling her Snapback for closure.

* * *

"You really think we wouldn't have hacked your computer and download everything you've ever researched for the past few days, did you?" Daniel Kabra said, pointing a dart gun at the petrified Cahills.

Nat stared at him. "Uh, not really."

"Well, it doesn't matter," piped Daniel's sister, Amy, who seated herself at the harpsichord where Mozart once played. "I took the liberty of printing my own copy of the music you researched called KV 617." She took a piece of paper out from her purse and unfolded it in front of her.

Ian and Nat shared a quick look. The internet version wasn't the same as the real one.

As Amy began to play, Ian watched her delicate fingers dance on the keys intently, her hair cascading down the small of her back. Ian's hypnotized gaze was broken by a falter in Amy's hands and the ugly tune that resounded as a result.

To Ian's surprise, Amy blushed, but covered her face quickly with her hair, so no one would notice. Something so unlike her. But it seemed rather familiar to him, and he somehow found it even more attractive.

_What is wrong with me? _he thought to himself.

"Hurry up dear sister," Daniel said impatiently through clenched teeth.

Amy took the time to glare at him, but quickly regained her composure. She began playing, and once again, Ian was captivated by the music and examined the way Amy's fingers danced on the keys.

It was in that moment he saw a tiny wire underneath D above high C and disappearing into the instrument.

_D HIC._

Ian's eyes widened. _Grace's message! It's a booby trap! _

As Amy's hands fluttered to the direction of the booby-trapped key, Ian jumped forward with a cry, knocking Dan over in the process. His reflexes acted and he fired a dart, but missed, and the dart landed in the drapery. Ian was determined to get Amy out of the way and knew he was too late.

The instrument exploded as Ian reached Amy. Her head struck the ground and she was out cold. Ian tucked and rolled emerging unhurt.

Dan reached for the gun, but Natalie got to the dart in the drapery first. With a graceful leap in the air, she grabbed the dart, spun around, and flung it like a spear. Dan fought the effects of the dart, but dropped to the ground beside his sister.

"Wooohoooo!" Natalie cheered. "That epic stunt should do ninja ballerinas justice!"

While Natalie celebrated, Ian played the real musc on the harpsichord. The ground rumbled and a section of the floor dropped away and in it were two swords, one short and the other long.

"Sweet!" Natalie cried, running towards Ian and lifting a sword carefully. "Samurai . . ." Natalie breathed. "This is the best day ever!"

"This has to be made with that steel Mozart was talking about," Ian inquired excitedly.

"This has nothing to do with what Grace wrote in the diary, though."

"D above high C turned out to be a booby-trapped key in the harpsichord," Ian explained. To Natalie's utter disgust, her brother looked over at the older Kabra's unconscious body and blushed. "Anyways, _gateau_ minus the music . . . A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are musical notes, right. If you take that out of the word _gateau, _you're left with . . . T-U." Ian paused. "That makes no sense."

"Yeas it does!" Natalie piped. "It's the old chemical symbol for tungsten! Wolfram is what they use to call tungsten!"

"So _gateau _was a coded message between Franklin and Mozart! We've found our second clue!"

* * *

In the hotel room, Nellie whooped in delight at Ian and Natalie's success.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. Her surveillance camera's place in the Racco mansion proved to be the best choice, as it displayed the whole scene between the Kabras and Cahills perfectly.

Not only was Nellie happy that Ian and Natalie were able to accomplish what Dan and Amy did before, but also because of the signs that Ian was starting to notice something funny, and Amy was acting like she usually did. Replaying the hunt was working so far.

Nellie dialed Fiske's number. "Hello Fiske? They did it! And even better, they're slightly going back to normal!"

Nellie paused as Fiske talked and listened to him carefully. "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Japan air? I'll book the tickets now."

* * *

**And I give you: My epic fail! :)**

**Sorry that it's not that long, but the good news is . . . KOREA IS UP NEXT! I will try to get the chapter done as soon as I can, but please don't get your hopes up as I tend to bring them down. :( **

**Anyways, R&R! Anything is accepted!**

**~Blue**


	12. Japan And All Its Memories

**Hullo, people of fan fiction. It's been a while. I'm sorry to those who actually gives a shiitake mushroom about this story. I have been the busiest person in the past two years since I last updated.**

**I don't think this means I'll be updating frequently; I just felt like I needed to get back to this story after a while.**

**So, that's my excuse. Anyway, I give you chapter twelve! **

* * *

~TWELVE~

_Japan And All Its Memories_

Ian Cahill stared at Nellie with despair. After losing Nellie to the Kabras, being forced to join Irina, nearly killed by a train, twisting his ankle, and chased by an angry mob of Japanese ninjas, Ian really just wanted a break. When Nellie stepped out of the mysterious car that had just saved them from the Yakuza, he thought that he and Nat were finally safe- until the Kabras exited the car with her and his heart sank.

"What are they doing here?" Nat asked. She looked as if she was going to throw up. "Never thought I'd hate being chased by ninjas," she had said before Nellie arrived. She had been breathing hard and looked exhausted, but upon seeing the Kabras, she had regained her old strength and her voice was filled with contempt.

"Relax yourself, Natalie," Daniel said. We're not here to hurt you. In fact, we saved your lives." He turned to Amy, who brandished a sleek dart gun from behind her. "With Amy's careful aim, we were able to stop the Yakuza. A thank you would be nice."

"Yes, of course," Nat said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thanks for saving us this time. While we're at it, we'll just thank you for all those other times you tried killing us!" Then she turned red really fast. "And don't call me that! It's Nat! N-A-T, Nat!"

Nat was ready to pounce at the Kabras, and she did, but Ian held her back.

"Nat!" he yelled. He said a little more quietly, "Calm down! They have a gun, remember?"

Nat stopped in her tracks, but gave the Kabras the stink eye.

"We were just trying to play the game, like you are right now," Amy said. "And if you want to win the game, you have to do what's best for _your _game." Amy smiled sweetly and turned to Ian. Ian blushed and nearly melted to the ground. "We propose a temporary alliance."

Nat's jaw dropped. "Are you crazy? You expect us to hand over all of our findings just because you saved us this one time?"

"Not at all," Daniel said, stepping forward. Ian, Nat, and Irina backed up one step. "We expect you to share your findings because we have something you need."

"What do you have?" Irina asked.

"We're not showing you until you agree," Daniel said. "But just to put your suspicions aside, it's an . . . artifact, and it has something to do with Hideyoshi."

Irina shared a look with Ian and Nat.

"No way, jose," Nat exclaimed, shaking her head. "I refuse to work with these Cobras. Not even if you let me attend Aunt Beatrice's sixth wedding in my ninja ballerina costume!"

"It's just temporary," Irina reasoned. "If it means being one step closer to the clue, we must join forces."

"Okay," Nellie interrupted. "I hate to tell you guys this, but we've really got no other choice but to join Poindexter and Morticia here. First off, they have a gun. Second, I think they're telling the truth about having something that'll lead to the clue." Ian noted a flash in Nellie's eyes, like she needed for them to become allies with the Kabras. The look in her eyes disappeared quickly, and Ian shook his head, thinking his eyes were just playing tricks on him.

Irina looked at both Ian and Nat. If the Kabras really did have something that will lead to the clue, then they should join forces just this once. Only this once.

Ian gave Nellie a reluctant nod. So did Irina. Now it was only Nat.

Ian gave her a look that said, "Do it for Grace."

Nat rolled her eyes and gave a quick, but firm nod. "Just this once!" she said. "If anything starts to smell fishy, just remember that I've mastered the arts of Kung fu ballet and I know how to do the killer pirouette!"

Amy smirked. "Then it's settled. So what are we waiting for? Let's find the next clue."

* * *

As Irina, Nellie, and the Cobras discussed the next move, Nat stared at the stupid coin in Ian's hand. This was the artifact that Amy had mentioned was linked to Hideyoshi. Ian rubbed it between his fingers, looking deep in his own thoughts.

_Probably thinking about Amy, _Nat thought with disgust.

Ian's little crush on Queen Cobra was the reason why Nat was as flat as a pancake against the car door. When they hopped into the car to get the containers Irina had left in an alley, Ian sat in the middle, between her and Amy. Their hands had brushed each other's, thanks to Nellie's reckless driving. Now he was trying his best to put some distance between them, practically suffocating Nat in the process.

"Could you at least give me room to breathe?" Nat complained. "I'm feeling really claustrophobic because of you!"

"Sorry," Ian said. He moved a little bit closer to Amy and blushed.

Nat rolled her eyes. She was in such a bad mood. The funny part was, it wasn't really because of Amy and Daniel. It was because of herself. The Kabras were her and Ian's greatest enemies, but today, a part of her didn't recoil at the sight of them. Usually, seeing their limo approaching Grace's house during those fancy family gatherings was enough to make her blood boil. Today, though, she didn't feel as angry. It was as if a part of her had actually felt like the Kabras weren't bad people.

All of a sudden, Nat felt a twinge of guilt when he looked at Amy and Daniel. It was strange. This wasn't the first time she'd felt that. Even though she had absolutely nothing to be guilty about, since they were the ones who had tried to kill her and Ian countless times. There was just something inside of her that felt she owed them something, like she'd done something really terrible.

_What is wrong with me? _Nat thought. She was frustrated with this feeling and her mood went from bad to worse.

She grabbed Saladin from Ian's lap and began stroking his fur. She loved the cat. He always put her in a good mood.

"A-choo!"

Ian looked at Nat. "Did you sneeze?"

"Yeah," Nat said, surprised. She continued to stroke Saladin's fur and another sneeze made its way out of her nose. "A-choo!"

"Is Saladin making you sneeze?" Ian asked.

"I think so," Nat said wearily. "A-choo!"

Ian took Saladin away from Nat. "He's never made you sneeze before."

"I know," Nat said. Once Saladin was off her hands, her sneezing ceased. "Why are things always going wrong?"

To Nat, the sneezing felt familiar. The whole situation felt familiar. Like deja vu. She shook the feeling off.

They arrived at the alley and Irina hopped out of the car to fetch the containers wrapped in her jacket that they had left behind in the midst of the Yakuza chase.

When she got back into the car, she handed each of them a container. "Let's move quickly. Open every container."

Nat opened hers first. Nothing but rusty nuts, bolts, rivets, and screws. To her own surprise, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. She shook her head lightly. Why was she getting grossed out? What was wrong with her?

Amy spilled the contents of her container in her lap. "Old and rusty tools," she said with disgust.

"Fascinating," Ian marvelled. He grabbed a hammer from her lap and looked at it in wonder. Amy stared at him and smiled a small smile. Ian realized that Amy was staring at him, and immediately blushed, dropping the hammer back in her lap. He focused instead on trying to open his own container.

Ian had looked away too quickly, but Nat noticed that Amy turned slightly red, which was unnatural for a Kabra filled with pride and confidence. Again, that feeling of familiarity tugged at Nat again.

_Go away! _

"Hey look!" Ian said. He had finally pried off the top of the triangular-shaped tube. The letters T, O, o, T, and A were witten in dark calligraphy on the scroll that Ian had pulled out from his tube. Nat cast her flashlight on the text in the center, surrounded by an unfinished-looking landscape of a rock outcropping and hills.

"'In the place of the highest conquest'," Irina began translating, "'between the three horns lies the people's wealth. And by the elements united is entrance granted, the highest to be revealed.'"

"Clear as wasabi," Nat muttered under her breath.

"Final conquest . . ." Irina murmured. "That's it! I know where the clue is!"

"Where?" Everyone asked all at once. Again, Natalie felt like all this has happened already, but she just couldn't understand why.

"The place where Hideyoshi mounted his final campaign and suffered his most humiliating defeat," Irina beamed.

"Right," Amy said with uncertainty. "Which is . . .?"

"We are going home," Irina said, eyes gleaming. "To Korea."

* * *

_Going home to Korea indeed, _Nellie thought as she drove the Kabra-Cahill-Irina alliance to the nearest airport.

As she drove, she allowed herself a smile. Things were going the way they planned. Irina's acting even seemed to be effective. They had been exchanging glances each time the Kabras and Cahills did something that worked in favor of their plan. They were reliving the clue hunt step by step.

Nellie had even watched Nat sneeze because of Saladin and get disgusted by rust. Little by little, it seemed she was returning to her former self without intending to. Ian was doing the same thing, and so was Amy.

She wondered if a situation as big as the "Korea incident" would have a great impact on Amy and Ian's current state.

It didn't matter. Progress was progress and Nellie vowed to return all of them back to normal. She would help set things right.

As they approached the airport, Nellie was already thinking of the next move. As much as Ian was growing on Nellie, she would have to help break his heart in Korea. In a way, it's like getting revenge on Amy's behalf.

So far, it was terrifying to relive the clue hunt, but Korea was an exception. The thought sort of excited Nellie.

She couldn't wait.


End file.
